Abdominal supporter.



K. L. STORM.

ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER. APPLICATION FILED MAR.22,1911.

1,029,955, Patented June 18 1912.

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Inventor.- WOQJM rmshrmzzz K. L. STORM.

ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.22,1911.

1,029,955, Patented June 18, 1912.

8 SHEETSSHBET 2.

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K. L. STORM.

ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAB..22,1911.

Patented June 18, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Inveni'o Katherine %m nnrrnfn srans ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1912.

Application filed March 22, 1911. Serial No. 616,247.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, KATHERINE L. STORM, citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Abdominal Supporters, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is an improvement upon Letters Patent No. 825561 granted tome July 10, 1906. The supporter shown and described in said LettersPatent has proved wonderfully effective in practical use, but experiencehas shown me some desirable improvements. My patented inventioncomprises an elastic body band and an auxiliary or reinforcing elasticband with a non-elastic portion secured to the body band and inconnection with the auxiliary band which is utilized to apply pressurethereto, and in the present improvements I aim to enlarge the scope ofthe invent-ion and its sphere of usefulness.

In the present construction I have provided a supporter in which I mayreinforce the compression along the same line exerted by the body band,or if desired can exert a pressure in a line at variance with that ofthe body beltthat is-instead of directly horizontal, the pressure of theauxiliary belt maybe upwardly or downwardly and this added to the directpressure of the body belt around the body adds greatly to the efficiencyof the supporter.

In my former patent the free ends of the auxiliary band and the ends ofthe body belt were independently engaged in the back, while in thepresent construction the free ends of the auxiliary or reinforcing bandare secured to the body belt or its attached ends by suitable means withthe effect that the reinforcing band is prevented from being misplacedas it is prone to be in patients with relatively small waistmeasurements, and further it enables me to maintain in a fixed positionthe line of direction of the force of compression desired by thisauxiliary band. The greatest efliciency of th auxiliary band under thevarying cond. tions and configurations of patients can best be obtainedby changing the line of direction of the force of this compression tosuit the needs of patients, as for example, in inguinal hernia thereinforcing band is placed very low in front and should also be kept lowin the back. On a pendulous abdomen the reinforcing is most efficient iflow in front and high in the back. Further,

this construction facilitates the ease and minimizes the labor and timeof adjustment of the supporter with its auxiliary or reinforcing band,as independent adjustment of the auxiliary or reinforcing band is notrequired in the ordinary removals and adjustment of the abdominalsupporter, but only occasionally as special needs may demand, as forexample in the changes of form which the abdomen undergoes in pregnancy.The single connection across the back avoids the heat and compressionover the spine which follows when the auxiliary band is superimposedupon the body belt with independent connections. Thus by thisarrangement of attaching the free ends of the auxiliary band to eitherside of the back of the supporting belt an eficiency of two supportingbelts is maintained in front and the compression of but one is made overthe spine. This is a practical advantage of great value in saving timeand labor; in promoting efficiency, and in case of a patient with atender spine it lessens the dis agreeable compression.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a rear view of my improvedbelt. Fig. 2 a view showing it on the body. Fig. 3 is a front Viewshowing also means for the support of a ,kidney. Fig. 4c is amodification showing a special form of belt for high operations. Fig. 5is a front view of the belt showing means to support a hernia. Fig. 6 isa rear view of the same.

, In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the body belt A is of elastic material andcarries the substantially non-elastic section B shown in Fig. 3. This issecured to the elastic body portion, and, connected to the ends of thenonelastic portion 13 is the auxiliary band C also of elastic material.As shown and described in my patent referred to the body portion isfastened at the back by laces, and the auxiliary supporter has its endspassing across the back of the patient where they are secured by abuckle or the like. As hereinbefore stated I aim to render unnecessarythis double connection, and its disadvantages as enumerated, by securingthe ends of the auxiliary band to the rear edges of the main or bodyportion. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the body portion is fastened togetherat the rear by lacings a, the eyelets being carried in the verticalstrips 6, a protecting strip 0, in the nature of a flap protect-ing theback of the patient'from the pressure of the eyelets and lacings. Ex-

tensions 6 having eyelets are also provided as shown and the ends of theauxiliary bands are secured by lacings, or other suitable fastenings, tothese extensions. As has been stated, this renders unnecessary thecrossing of the back by a double row of fastening devices, and yet givesall the advantages of an independent connection, as any desiredadjustment in the way of pressure of the auxiliary band may be securedby the construction shown. Furthermore, it will be observed that whilein Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the pressure of the auxiliary band is coincidentwith that of the body, namely, directly around the body, this pressuremay be varied by connecting the ends of the auxiliary band at a pointabove or below the central line of the non-elastic portion B, that is,when an upward pressure is desired the ends of the auxiliary band may beconnected with the strips 5 of the body belt at its center or upper endinstead of at its lower end according to the pressure required. It willbe understood that in such a case the extension 6' will be locatedaccording to the requirements as these belts are usually made to orderto meet the peculiar conditions existing. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3,I utilize a second layer of elastic material D, this being secured tothe body of the belt at its front and simply constitutes a doublesection of the body belt throughout its upper portion.

I have shown in Fig. 3, in dotted lines, a kidney pad at E, this beingsecured to the inside of the body belt and is adapted to be utilizedwhere there is a case of floating kidney.

I11 Fig. t. I have shown instead of the lower section of non-elasticmaterial extending only a portion of the height of the body belt anon-elastic center extending nearly the entire height of the belt as atG, and in this case the non-elastic port-ion is supported by twoauxiliary bands C and C the ends being secured as heretofore described.This form of supporter with the enlarged and elongated non-elasticportion is intended for a case of gall bladder operation. In

such a case as this I may use two or more auxiliary bands or utilize twoor more of the comparatively non-elastic front portions secured togetherto form the high center, and this non-elastic center may extendthroughout the height of the belt as shown in Fig. 4, or two auxiliarybands may be utilized with an interval between not only the bands butthe non-elastic centers as well.

In Fig. 5 I have shown my improved belt utilized to support a hernia inthe location indicated. In this case I add a practically triangularpiece to the bottom of the nonelastic center as at m, and then secure ais secured to the extension at and thus aids to furnish the necessarypressure to support a hernia in this region.

It will be understood that in the use of the word non-elastic this isrelative and means that the center is nonelastic as compared with thebody band and auxiliary band which is made of soft elastic material.

It will beunderstood that while I have shown the hernia pad only inFigs. 5 and 6 this pad may be used in connection with the forms of beltshown in the other figures being employed in the same relationsubstantially to the main body, the non-elastic section or its extensionand the thigh strap as illustrated in these Figs. 5 and 6.

lVhat I claim is: a

1. An abdominal supporter comprising a body portion of elastic materialsubstantially encircling the body, means for securing the ends of thebody portion together detachably, a non-elastic section located in thefront of the supporter and secured to the body portion, and an auxiliarysupporter connected with the non-elastic section having its ends passingto the rear of the body, and adjustably secured to the means forsecuring. the ends of the body portion, substantially as described.

2. An abdominal supporter comprising a body portion of elastic materialpassing around the body, said body portion having end portions;fastening means between the end portions of the body; a non-elasticfront section, an auxiliary supporter connected with the non-elasticfront section and extending to the rear, and an adjustable connectionbetween the ends of the auxiliary supporter and the end portion of thebody portion, substantially as described.

3. An abdominal supporter comprising a body portion extending to therear, terminals therefor with connections between, a non-elastic frontportion, an auxiliary elastic supporter connected with the nonelasticsection and extending to the rear, connections between the rear ends ofsaid elastic auxiliary supporter and the terminals of the body portion,and a second layer of elastic material extending between the non-elasticfront section and the rear of the body belt, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

KATHERINE L. STORM.

Vit-nesses WILLIAM J. SADLEIR, JNo. SADLEIR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of latents,

Washington, D. C.

